


And I Will Hold On To You

by starksrhodey



Series: Hold On To The Memories [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Spoilers, Stevetony Reunion, Superhusbands (Marvel), flangst, minimum angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 17:34:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14623692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksrhodey/pseuds/starksrhodey
Summary: They were used to always being in each other’s corners. It’s who they were. It’s what made them Steve and Tony.





	And I Will Hold On To You

Tony inhaled, his breath hitching as pain sharply radiated down his side and through his chest. The misshapen bandage threatened to cut his oxygen supply off as it dug into his ribcage. He instinctively went to clutch it, tensing up briefly as Nebula snatched his arm back, shaking her head slightly as their gazes crossed.

“Probably shouldn’t aggravate the wound,” she spoke quietly, her dark eyes searching his own as the ship jerked roughly to the side, “Landing in one.”

Oh, so that was the turbulence. No wonder he was having trouble hearing. Gravity.

Tony clutched at the ships wall, swallowing back another gasp as he hobbled along the side. His fingers skirted down the cool metal as Nebula strolled past him. Her gaze was questioning as she began pressing the correct controls to unlatch the landing steps. His eyes raked down the metal walls, his inner engineer critiquing the poorly constructed slabs of metal. The upper half was rusting while the lower was riddled with dents, giving way to signs of age. Tony reached the top stair just as sunlight began breaking through the crack in the door.

He guessed Nebula hadn’t wasted a second, then.

He cautiously hobbled down the steps, fingers clutching the railing as he took the creaking steps one by one. If it was his bet, he’d say they were lucky this piece of junk had even made it through the atmosphere. He humorlessly laughed at the idea of going out due to the conditions of a space craft lacking proper safety measures in comparison to the recent threat they had just faced. It’d be ironic. Almost. The faint sound of voices began to prick his ears, breaking him from his thoughts.

His nose wrinkled as fresh air began wafting in. Tony instinctively tensed up as raised voices emerged, sounding concerned and questioning all at once. His ears pricked, lips pursed as he mentally prepared himself just before he reached the bottom platform. Solid ground, thankful.

“....must be taking his time,” is what he struggled to pick up from Nebula’s monotone.

He shoved the metal door aside, inwardly cringing at the loud groan of protest it gave out as he began to slide into view. Or, hobble. Because let’s be honest, he wasn’t smoothly walking anywhere anytime soon. His once tense shoulders seemed to slump in relief as his feet began to make contact with the grass. Green. The ground was green. Because that’s what it should look like. Not barren, like whatever Titan– No. Too soon.

He began to shakily inhale, the fresh breezy air tickling his face. He had missed– he quickly cut himself off at the sound of feet thundering towards him. He should probably be concerned. His eyebrows shot up in alarm as he glanced up, staggering backwards as a blur of dark material soon engulfed him. His first instinct was Rhodey.

Golden hair blocked his sight.

Definitely not Rhodey, then. 

“Can’t recall the last time someone was that pleased to see me,” Tony spluttered, cutting himself off as limbs began to tangle with his very own.

“Tony,” yeah, that most certainly was Steve’s voice.

Steve.

Tony swallowed, anxiously biting his chapped lips as his trembling limbs began to rise, hesitantly wrapping his arms around that all too familiar narrow waist. Steve tensed at first, which unfair. Because he had pulled Tony in first. He soon relaxed and buried his head in the crook of Tony’s neck, inhaling deeply. How long had it been since Tony showered? Two, three days? He showered the morning he found himself leaving earth.

Leaving earth, he thought almost hysterically. The sound of Steve’s breath hitching caused Tony to focus his attention on the man before him. He briefly tightened his grip, his fingers clutching at the material of Steve’s undersuit. He began pacing his breath in an attempt to keep his emotions calm, his trembling fingers tracing a pattern into Steve’s backside. You’re alive, he told himself. You’re okay. It’s okay. He didn’t dare look up, refusing to meet that cool blue gaze. He was afraid of what he’d see there.

Longing?

Regret?

“Tony,” Steve spoke gently, his voice sounding less like he were about to burst into tears and more like he were talking to a spooked animal, “We need to get you to medical.”

Tony shook his head, his body shaking even in the Wakandan heat. He gently pressed his head against Steve’s shoulder and breathed in. Irish spring soap. Sweat. Musk. Leather. Steve. He exhaled. The Captain swallowed and nodded jerkily, his hands slipping down to press into Tony’s waist in what seemed to be in an attempt to try and access the damage by touch. Tony guessed Steve seemed to understand he wasn’t in the mood to be pushed around, even if it meant going to medical. Which, Steve was probably right. Go figure.

“I thought I’d never have this again,” Steve whispered against the shell of his ear, his breath fanning across his neck and sending shivers down Tony’s spine, “I thought I’d never be able to tell you how I never meant to hurt you. When I didn’t see you get off the ship right away... I thought–“

Tony shushed him, his eyes burning at the sound of Steve’s choked words. Anger coursed through his veins, igniting him once more. You don’t have the right to be upset, you left, is what he wanted to snap at him. But not now. They’ve lost too much already, Tony could sense that. This wasn’t a time for sharp words. This was bigger than their disagreement. He exhaled again. 

“I’m sorry,” Steve whispered into his hair, his fingers tightening as they clutched at Tony’s hips. There would definitely be bruises later. Tony couldn’t find it within himself to protest.

“Be quiet,” Tony spoke hoarsely, his fingers raising to course through Steve’s fine hair. Steve relaxed, seemingly taking the touch as a sign of forgiveness. Tony didn’t have it in him to argue or speak out. Instead, he basked in the warmth pressed against him. He recalled the last time he was given the chance to lay his head against this chest. Except, it had been bare that time. The sound of life had been trumming through Steve’s veins. His heart beating. Blood pumping as his gentle lips pressed scorching kisses into his sun tanned skin. They mapped against him, idly trailing up and down.

Their laughter mixed together as Steve teasingly nipped at the skin of his waist. He teasingly ran his tongue down Tony’s side, causing goosebumps to arouse down the engineer’s lower half. Steve offered a harsher nip, grinning into his skin as Tony yelped indignantly. The blonde haired devil didn’t waste a second to surge upwards and flop across his chest. Tony remembered having the breath knocked out of him as Steve all but cackled in delight. Their laughter bounced off the walls of the room. Their room, at the time. Except, it was Tony’s room now. He didn’t quite like the sound of that. He shuddered at the thought alone.

“Hey, hey Tony,” Steve’s raspy voice broke him from his thoughts, “Are you with me? Tony?” Tony nodded weakly, suddenly feeling as if his weight were only being held up by Steve and Steve alone. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Let’s get you inside,” Steve spoke firmly, detangling his limbs from Tony’s before he leaned down. Tony opened his mouth in protest, or perhaps to question Steve’s intent or maybe just to complain about the loss of body heat he was now experiencing. The words soon died on the tip of his tongue as Steve cradled him to his chest, feet swung up and dangling over the broad arm as he held Tony bridal style. The blonde man’s mouth was set in a determined line as he began walking with conviction. Tony rolled his eyes before allowing himself to melt in the embrace, his strength finally dissipating once he no longer had to hold himself up. 

It wasn’t too long before Tony realized Steve had people flanking either side of him. Tony humored the thought it being Sergeant Barnes before he caught the flash of striking blonde hair and the clunk of Rhodey’s familiar armor. He weakly attempted a smile at his best friends concerned gaze before dropping his head from exhaustion. Rhodey seemed to come to the same conclusion as him, this was not a time for talking. Even more alarming, Tony was beginning to think that maybe he really did need to get to medical. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Natasha asked, not unkindly.

“Not sure,” Steve swallowed, adjusting the grip on his charge as he began hiking up a steep mound, “Felt some bandages alongside his upper abdomen.”

“Sounds like blood loss,” Rhodey supplied, sounding put out, “But from what–“

“He was stabbed,” Nebula’s voice rang out from where she was conversing quietly with Rocket, “We patched him up as best as we could, but we had little to work with. It wasn’t an artificial wound, either.”

“Stabbed?” Rhodey sounded alarmed, “With what–“

“By who,” Nebula finished, nodding curtly, “It’s not my story to tell. I’d get your friend patched up. And fast. It could be blood poisoning of some type. I’m no doctor.”

“Hell,” Steve cursed as he fastened his pace.

Tony let out a weak chuckle, his head lolling backwards as laughter threatened to pour from his lips. “Something funny?” Natasha glanced at him from the corner of her eye, seeming alarmed. Tony laughed somewhat hysterically, the idea of being swept up in Steve’s arms in Wakanda of all places, all thanks to being stabbed by Thanos seemed almost too ironic. It would take the end of the world to bring them all back together, he dully noted.

“I don’t think I remember your eyes being this blue,” Tony slurred, his gaze wondering across Steve’s face. A red flush soon spread across the Captain’s cheeks. He just noticed that Steve was actually closer than he seemed. Steve’s brow furrowed as he opened his mouth, no sound coming out due to Tony abruptly going lax in his hold, succumbing to his injuries. Maybe when he woke up Steve would still be there.

After all, they were used to always being in each other’s corners. It’s who they were. It’s what made them Steve and Tony.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first PUBLISHED fic, so a round of applause to me for actually wrapping this up to a point that made me content. I’d like to make a point that Tony most certainly is NOT dead. I can barely stand the thought of him dying in the MCU, much less be able to write it myself. So he’s just passed out from blood loss. Idk, I’m no doctor.
> 
> Anyways, this is for my favorite people. Nihaal, Javi, and everyone rooting for the SteveTony reunion in A4. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
> 
> You can find me at @winterstarks on Twitter. Currently, because I love changing my username.


End file.
